The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the brutalisation of Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, and other labour leaders by suspected agents of the Imo State government.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, condemned the attack in the strongest terms, calling it “an act of violence and barbarism”.
Akporeha also demanded the immediate release of all arrested labour leaders in Imo. He said that NUPENG was determined to free the workers and would not relent until they were released.
“We condemn with the strongest term the arrest and brutalization of Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and other labour leaders by the agents of Imo State Government. We reject the act of violence and barbarism being unleashed on labour leaders, workers and others. We cannot accept this uncivilised behaviour in a democracy.
“The workers of Imo State must be freed. We are determined to free the state workers because injury to one is to all.”
The NLC had planned a protest in Owerri over a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, among other grievances against the Imo government.
However, the protest was disrupted by thugs, who attacked and brutalised the labour leaders and other protesters.
